ISLAMABAD: In a major move to curb voter-related irregularities, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has initiated legal proceedings under sections of 468 and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) against 17 persons, including three females, found involved in transfer of huge number of voters from one electoral area to the other.
The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has traced the alleged offenders by their thumb impressions, who wanted to benefit certain politicians of the Loralai, Kacchi and Kill Abdullah constituencies in the next general election. The attempt was made chiefly during the door-to-door voter verification campaign.
“The offenders, mostly teachers, had allegedly resorted to not only transfer of voters from one electoral area to the other but also indulged in creation of scores of fake voters by using their own thump impressions,” ECP sources pointed out yesterday and said the electoral body believed the unique matter would serve as deterrent in the future.
The offenders are: Muhammad Ilyas, Mai Shenal, Qadir Bakhsh, Muhammad Ayub, Sahar Bibi, Muhammad Yousaf, Qaim Khan, Payara Khan, Jan Bukhat, Gul Hassan, Muhammad Jan, Muhammad Nawaz, Aman Ullah, Habib Ullah, Naseer Ahmad, Khalid Ahmad, Nabi Bakhsh, Abdul Qayyum, Naseeb Ullah, Nasruminallah, Lala Khan, Abdul Rehman, Haji Ahmad Shah and Nasima Bibi, said a related document.
A session’s judge or magistrate of first class will hold hearing of the cases that have already been registered against the alleged offenders. Moreover, Imtiaz Alam, DG (A), Raja Ghiaz-ud-Din Balban, DG (E) and Tariq Qadri, DG (FEA) were also involved in the process. The material that was used for alleged cheating was handed over to the Election Commission by Nadra.
Internews
